Keep Holding On
by The Wayward Angel
Summary: Arthur is not prone to spontaneous trips to America, but he is worried about his love. Takes place during America's Great Depression.


**Raye: It feels like forever ago that my friends told me to start watching Hetalia and I've finally done it…now I'm so in love it's ridiculous. I got this idea this morning while I was driving to work.**

**Disclaimer: No I don't own Hetalia. Don't be so silly.**

_Keep Holding On_

**24 May 1931  
Washington DC, USA  
White House**

Arthur wasn't one for spontaneous visits to America but he was worried. He knew that in 1929 America had suffered a major crash to their stock market that –coupled with a few other bad mistakes and decisions- had let to an economic depression in the States. Since then unemployment had sky rocketed, banks had shut down, houses were foreclosed, and the entire nation was balancing on a thread. And most recently America had not been seen at the most recent World Summit meeting. Arthur was worried for his poor little Alfred. So here he was at the White House in Washington DC to check on his darling Alfred.

"I'm afraid Alfred's already gone home for the day Mr. Kirkland." President Hoover said with a sad smile, "Perhaps you shall have better luck finding him here in the morning."

"Well you see sir I must be leaving back home tomorrow afternoon." Arthur said, "Is there any way you can either point me in the direction of his house or perhaps call him and let him know I'm here?" He asked.

"I can provide you with his address Mr. Kirkland but I cannot guarantee that he will be home." The President replied.

Arthur nodded, "Thank you sir."

Precisely eighteen minutes later Arthur was standing in front of a small house. Arthur was sure it had been a lovely house at one time but now the brown paint on the outside was chipping and peeling. The white picket fence lining the yard was busted in places and splintering. The yard itself was brown and dead with weeds placed sporadically throughout. The brick walkway was cracked and sinking into the ground, weeds poking through the cracks. The stairs looked creaky and uneven as Arthur walked forward, across the yard to the house. The door was split and cracked along the sides and through the middle. The windows were dark and one was broken, a hole in the bottom right corner about the size of a baseball. Arthur thought, grimly, that the house reflected the owner. Arthur reached up a hand and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Came a gruff voice from the inside of the dark house.

"It's me you idiot, let me in." Arthur replied.

The lock clicked and Alfred opened the door.

Arthur felt a pang in his heart for the nation before him. Alfred's strong frame had been reduced to bones pressed to pale flash, his eyes sunken and listless, and his lips pale and cracked; he was a shadow of his former self that seemed so strong and invincible just ten short years ago. Alfred cleared his throat and stepped to his side to let the older nation inside.

"It has been too long since we've last seen one another Jones." Arthur said as he walked into the small house, "You missed the Summit meeting."

"I had matters to attend to here. My boss needed me." Alfred replied, shutting the door behind them.

"So you abandon your wordly duties?"

"Did you just come here to lecture me because I really don't-"

"I'm worried about you." Arthur clipped, pressing his fingers against the younger nation's mouth, "I'm worried…you look so frail and weak…I've never seen you like this Alfred." Now Alfred, not Jones. "You look afraid."

Alfred jerked his head back, "I'm not weak and I'm not scared." He snapped, narrowing his eyes, "We're going to be just fine, you'll see."

Arthur sighed, "If you won't listen to me as a nation then listen to me as a friend. I'm worried for _you_. So thin," He wrapped a hand around Alfred's wrist, easily touching his fingers together, "You may not feel weak but Alfred…you're wasting away." Alfred pulled his wrist away from Arthur, clenching his jaw. "You have friends Alfred; you don't have to go through this alone."

"But who Arthur?" Alfred clenched his fists, "There is no one. Europe is still recovering from the War, I have no help there."

"Do you forget me?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow, "Do you forget your lover?"

Alfred's cheeks flushed red at the comment. He cleared his throat, "Surely not…but-"

"Then why do you allow yourself to waste away in solitude?"

"Because." Alfred said stubbornly.

"Because?" Arthur asked.

"I…I don't…"

"Alfred." Arthur's tone turned stern.

"I don't want you to be disappointed in me because I can't take care of myself." Alfred snapped, turning and storming away from Arthur, heading into his barren living room.

Arthur followed the man into the room, "Alfred-"

"Don't Arthur." Alfred said, turning back around to glare at the emerald-eyed blonde, "I don't want to hear it."

"Do you forget that I've had this happen to me several times? That you had to help me after the War? That even I am still recovering?" Arthur frowned.

Alfred pursed his lips but said nothing.

Arthur moved closer and placed a hand on Alfred's cheek, "You don't have to be so strong all the time love. It's okay to be weak sometimes. It happens to the best of us."

Alfred closed his eyes and leaned into Arthur's hand, taking a deep breath, "But Arthur-"

"No Alfred. It's okay." Arthur whispered before leaning in and molding his lips to Alfred's, pressing into him gently.

Alfred let out a low groan and pressed his body close to Arthur's. This kiss was certainly not their first. No. Their first kiss had been a few years after America's Revolution. Alfred had gone with President Washington to Britain and had been left alone with Arthur. Arthur was still bitter and Alfred was still guilty. It had started out as a verbal fight between the two, arguing as to why Alfred had left and ended with an angry sex session with Alfred bent over the King's desk with Arthur's cock in his ass. Since then they had become a little more subdued toward one another, so much so they considered each other as their boyfriend…but coming out to the rest of the world was something neither of them wanted.

Arthur moved his hand down to cup the American's neck, pulling him closer as he slid his tongue into the younger nation's mouth. Alfred moaned into the Brit's mouth and clutched his shoulders tightly in his hands. Arthur pulled back with a pant, "Bedroom." He gasped against the younger nation's mouth.

Alfred nodded quickly and took Arthur's hand, dragging him up the stairs to his bedroom, both of them shedding their clothes on the way until they were naked and tumbling down onto the bed in a mass of limbs and sloppy kisses.

Arthur pinned Alfred beneath him, looking down on him. The younger nation had become so frail and thin in the past two years since the depression began. Arthur's eyes gentled as he ran his hands along the blue-eyed man's sides. "I love you." Arthur whispered.

Alfred smiled gently, "I love you too." He replied, wrapping his legs around Arthur's waist, "But I believe we have more pressing matters to attend to."

Arthur grinned and leaned down to kiss Alfred hard before pulling back to grab a bottle of lotion from the side table, "Foreplay?" He asked.

"I think I've waited long enough. I've missed you." Alfred growled.

Arthur grinned at the American before slicking up three of his fingers, pressing one to Alfred's entrance. Alfred's breath hitched and he arched his hips, "Come on Arthur." He said.

Arthur smiled, "Yes love." He said pressing the finger inside, feeling and stretching the soft walls. Alfred groaned and wrapped his arms around the Brit's neck, pressing their foreheads together, panting as Arthur added another finger and began scissoring them. "Fuck you're so tight." Arthur whispered and Alfred's cheeks lit up with a blush. He grunted when Arthur added a third finger, wincing a little. "I know love, I know." Arthur said, kissing Alfred's cheek.

"Stop with the fingers, I'm ready." Alfred whispered and Arthur removed his fingers, slicking up his pulsing arousal.

Arthur pressed the head of his cock to the younger nation's entrance and pushed into, sliding in to the hilt. Alfred's brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to stay relaxed. Arthur gently stroked Alfred's hip, pressing soft kisses to the American's lips.

"Go." Alfred breathed and Arthur slowly began thrusting into the younger nation's body. Alfred moaned low in his throat and bucked his hips up to meet Arthur's in a steady rhythm. The Brit kept his thrusts slow and deep, angling himself to hit the American's prostate. Alfred gasped, his eyes wide, "Oh fuck, so good."

"So tight…so warm…" Arthur groaned, gently pressing a kiss to Alfred's forehead, wiping his sweat matted bangs from his forehead.

Arthur moved his hand down between their bodies, stroking the younger nation's arousal as he thrusted. Alfred moaned loud as Arthur pounded against his prostate and stroked him, "Gonna cum." Alfred mumbled, pressing his lips to the older nation's.

"Me too." Arthur breathed, his thrusts starting to lose rhythm as he neared his end. Alfred came with a gasp and Arthur soon followed, coming into the American.

After a few moments Arthur pulled out and lay beside Alfred, tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear. "I've got to leave tomorrow." Arthur sighed, petting Alfred's hair.

Alfred echoed his sigh, "I don't want you to leave…"

"I wish I didn't have to leave." Arthur replied, "But my boss needs me."

"I know…and I've got to get to work trying to help my boss here." Alfred said with a frown.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Arthur said, tilting Alfred's head up to his, "I promise."

"I know." Alfred said with a tiny smile, curling up against Arthur's chest, pressing his face into the older nation's neck, drifting off to sleep.

Arthur smiled as he pet the younger nation's hair, "You'll be strong again soon love, just keep holding on." He whispered before drifting off to sleep as well.


End file.
